How fast can the VASIMR engine go?

How fast can the VASIMR engine go?

Using a magnetic nozzle, VASIMR can convert the plasma ions’ orbital motion into a useful linear motion that results in ion speeds of up to 180,000 km/h (111,846 mph). This gives VASIMR an effective specific impulse of upwards of 5,000 seconds at 200 kW.

Is VASIMR possible?

Although VASIMR is still years away from being used in space, Chang-Diaz said that it has already shown great promise during tests on Earth. So, it is entirely possible that the engine that will carry the first person to Mars is already running in a laboratory on Earth.

Who invented the VASIMR engine?

Ad Astra Rocket Company was founded in 2005 by former NASA astronaut and plasma physicist, Dr. Franklin Chang Díaz. However, the idea for the VASIMR® engine began years before the formation of the company. As a PhD student at MIT in the early 1970s Dr.

How does a VASIMR engine work?

Much like an ion thruster, VASIMR uses a gas such as argon or xenon, however, it is also capable of using hydrogen. It works by injecting the propellant into a tube surrounded by magnets and two radio wave (RF) antennas. With this done, the plasma is primed to be ejected from the nozzle to produce thrust.

What is the fastest propulsion system?

Laser beam powered lithium-ion drives ten times faster than any previous ion drive. A spacecraft with this system would take less than a year to get to Pluto. JPL is building and proving out the various components of this system.

How much thrust does a VASIMR engine produce?

Dawn’s engines have a specific impulse of 3100 seconds and a thrust of 90 mNewtons. A chemical rocket on a spacecraft might have a thrust of up to 500 Newtons, and a specific impulse of less than 1000 seconds. The VASIMR has 4 Newtons of thrust (0.9 pounds) with a specific impulse of about 6,000 seconds.

What is the fuel for the VASIMR rocket engine?

In its current form, the VASIMR engine uses argon for fuel. The first stage of the rocket heats the argon to plasma and injects it into the booster.

How long would it take to travel 4 light-years?

Last year, astronomers raised the possibility that our nearest neighbor, Proxima Centauri, has several potentially habitable exoplanets that could fit the bill. Proxima Centauri is 4.2 light-years from Earth, a distance that would take about 6,300 years to travel using current technology.

What are the five basic types of propulsion system?

Different Types of Marine Propulsion Systems

• Wind Propulsion. Wind assisted propulsion is the practice of using sails or a type of wind capture device.
• Steam Turbine Propulsion.
• Diesel Propulsion.
• Gas Turbine propulsion.
• Nuclear Propulsion.
• Fuel Cell Propulsion.
• Solar Propulsion.

What kind of power does the VASIMR engine use?

Electrical power sources for the VASIMR engine could include such things as a nuclear power system or solar panels. For long-range flights, Chang-Diaz said, the best option is nuclear power. “Nuclear power is definitely a must if we’re going to go to Mars,” he said.

How does the VASIMR rocket propulsion system work?

VASIMR is a plasma-based propulsion system. An electric power source is used to ionize fuel into plasma. Electric fields heat and accelerate the plasma while the magnetic fields direct the plasma in the proper direction as it is ejected from the engine, creating thrust for the spacecraft.

What happens to the efficiency of the VASIMR?

When the specific impulse is reduced, the efficiency drops in direct proportion. This means that the VASIMR’s much chanted (but always doubtful) claim that it could offer significant mission benefit by trading specific impulse for thrust is simply false.

How is VASIMR used on the International Space Station?

If the test were successful, the VASIMR prototype could be moved to a different part of the ISS and used to help keep it in orbit. While ISS orbits the Earth, atmospheric drag gradually pulls it closer to the Earth. Every so often, the ISS has to be boosted back into a higher orbit.